Flexible chute



H. E. ELLIOTT FLEXIBLE CHUTE prill 22, 1947 Filed Oct. 27, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 /N ve/vroe/ HARRY E. ELL/Orr HA RR/J, K/ECH, FOSTER d HARR/J a, mpg d ropasm rurM H. E. ELLIOTT April -22, 1947.

FLEXIBLE CHUTE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 27, 1941 /NVE/VTOR/ HARRV E ELL/OTT for TML ATTORNEYS H. E. ELLIOTT FLEXIBLE CHUTE April 22, 1947'i Filed Oct. 27, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 /Nve/v rola, HARRY E. ELL/Orr @y HA RRU) MECHl FOSTER er HARR/J a? Rigid f' THL KIIM ,4 TTO @VE YJ @rented Apr- 22 1947 T FHCE FLEXIBLE c Harry E. Elliott, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor to Hughes ToolCompany, Houston, Tex., a corporation of Delaware Application October 27, 1941, Serial No. 416,665

28 Claims.

My invention relates to passage means such as conduits, chutes, conveyors, ducts, and the like,

' and is directed particularly to a passage means oi a flexible type.

The general object of the invention is to provide a passage means that may be exed in various directions to serve, for example, as a conveyor chute that may be readily adapted to various paths of conveyance.

Passage means of this general type have been constructed heretofore in which exibility has been achieved by using. flexible material and by designing the passage Walls to favor bending of the material; for example, conveyor chutes have been designed with Walls of pliable metal of corrugated conguration to permit the chutes to be flexed in various directions, Some of the disadvantages of such prior art constructions are: the walls of the passage means resist deformation required for flexure of the passage means, especially if the material is metal; if the walls are made relatively thin to minimize such resistance, the walls wear out in relatively short service periods; if the walls are corrugated to favor flexure, the corrugations create zones of concentrated Wear caused by material passing over the corrugations; repeated exure causes fatigue failure of the wall material; and it is often difcult to attain a desirable degree of ilexibility, especially if the passage is relatively large in one dimension.

One object of the present invention is to avoid the above disadvantages by eliminating any substantial fleXure of the Wall material. It is my object to provide an articulated construction 1n which flexibility is attained largely, if not entirely, by employing relatively movable wall segments.

A further important object of the invention is to provide a Wall construction that may be readily designed for predetermined maximum degrees of exure in various directions. It is proposed to provide segmented walls in which relative movement between the individual segments is restricted to whatever degree may be required to limit the flexibility of the passage means as a whole to a predetermined degree. Thus, in some practices of the invention my object is to provide a passage means that is flexible but has inherently less flexibility than some material or object that is to be conveyed through the passage means. For example, it may be desirable to convey a ilexible, pliable, or articulated strip of some character between two variably spaced points by a passage meansor chute that will flex to conform to variable relative positioning of the two points and yet it may be highly undesirable to bend the conveyed strip to less than a given radius of curvature. The passage means of the present invention may be readily designed for a larger inherent minimum radius of iexure than permissible fur the conveyed strip and then may be permitted to accommodate itself freely to the variable spacing of the two points without any possibility of the conveyed strip being flexed to any undesirable degree.

From the foregoing discussion it is clear that the invention is broadly applicable and may be used for passage means in various elds. The invention is being initially embodied, however, in a exible feed chute for supplying ammunition to machine guns and the like. I elect to describe this particular use of the invention in the knowledge that such a description will be adequate guidance for those skilled in the art who may have other uses in mind.

In the selected embodiment of the invention as a feed chute for machine guns, my objects include the following: to provide a feed chute that will flex in various directions in response to forces of low magnitude, the feed chute oering minimum resistance to aiming manipulation of the machine gun; to provide a feed chute that cannot bend so sharply as to cause an ammunition belt therein to bind or jam; to provide a feed chute that will tend to twist and bend uniformly throughout its length to conform to changes in position of the machine gun; to provide a feed chute that is inherently free of zones of concentrated wear; to provide a chute of sturdy construction good for a long period of service Without attention; to provide a iexible feed chute with a longitudinal opening of substantial extent to facilitate the introduction of an ammunition belt through the chute to the machine gun, it being unnecessary to pull a new ammunition belt through the chute by a cord previously threaded through the chute; to provide a feed chute that at all times exposes its contents for inspection; to provide for accessibility throughout the length of the feed chute to facilitate immediate correction of any diiiculty that may arise within the chute; to provide a feed chute that may be readily manufactured to any conceivable length desired; and to provide a feed chute of articulated construction in which individual segments may be readily replaced.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from my detailed description to follow, taken with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings which are to be considered as illustrative only:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the end portion of my ammunition chute at the juncture with a machine gun;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the feed chute;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section taken as indicated by the line 3--3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken as indicated by the line 1 4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of one end of the chute;

' Fig. 6 is a transverse section taken as indicated by the line 6--6 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 'I is a perspective view of the chute in the process of fabrication;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a wall segment employed in the chute construction;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a wall segment employed in the construction;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary plan view indicating how the chute may be exed laterally;

Fig. 11 is a similar fragmentary plan view showing how the chute may be contracted longitudinally;

Fig. 12 is a view similar to Fig. 'l showing an alternative construction for the feed chute;

Fig. 13 is a similar view of an entirely closed rectangular chute;

Fig. 14 is a similar view of another entirely closed rectangular chute; and

Fig. 15 is a view similar to Fig. 5 snowing a construction in which the transverse elements are grouped in threes. p

The drawings show a feed chute generally designated 2U for conveying a series of cartridges 2| in sequence to a machine gun generally designated 22 from an ammunition box or other source (not shown).

Each cartridge 21| has a cylindrical shell 23 that tapers to a reduced diameter to embrace a projectile 25. The cartridges 2| are carried by or interconnected by a disintegrating ammunition belt generally designated 26 in a well known manner, the ammunition belt comprising a series of sheet metal links 2l. Each of the links 2l is formed with two loops or circular bands 23 that ring one of the cartridges 2| and is formed with a third loop or circular band 29 to ring an adjacent cartridge, each cartridge in effect serving as a hinge pin for interconnecting two of the links 2l in an articulated manner. When the machine gun 22 automatically removes the cartridges in sequence from the belt 26 in the course of rapid re, the individual links are released in sequence.

Since a machine gun is commonly universally mounted for rapid shifts in direction and since the ammunition source is usually fixed, the links 2l of the belt 26 are shaped and dimensioned to afford a certain and definite degree of iiexure or articulation in all directions to permit twisting and turning of the belt as may be required to follow pivotal movements of the gun in various directions. The degree of flexure permissible on the part of the loaded belt 28 is definitely limited and any force that tends to bend the loaded belt in any direction beyond the permissible degree will cause or tend to cause the belt to bind or jam.

Broadly described, my new passage means or feed chute for conveying such a flexible strip as the loaded ammunition belt 26 includes an articulated skeleton or frame comprising a plurality of spaced transverse elements, for example transverse wire elements. These transverse elements are loosely interconnected or interlinked to permit variation in the spacing and relative positioning of the successive elements for changes in the direction of the passage means. Pluralities of separate wall segments arranged in series longitudinally of the passage means are carried by the articulated frame to form articulated passage walls. In the preferred form of my invention, there are at least two series of means interconnecting the transverse elements by encircling pluralities of the transverse elements, the grouping of the transverse elements into pluralities being different for the two series so that the pluralities overlap. By overlap is meant that a plurality of the transverse elements in one grouping of the transverse elements will include transverse elements in two successive pluralities in the other group. Such overlapping in the grouping of the transverse elements permits the two longitudinal series of encircling means to cooperate in limiting the spacing of the transverse elements relative to each other.

The new feed chute 2|] shown in the drawings includes a series of spaced transverse members, sections'or elements 30. Each of the transverse elements 30 consists of a length or section of wire bent to form a passage configuration that is generally rectangular in cross section. Preferably the transverse elements 30 are open at the top to define a longitudinal opening 32 for access throughout the length of the passage and preferably the transverse elements are bent or offset to dene a longitudinal recess 33 in the bottom of the passage, the bottom recess being dimensioned to clear the articulated belt 26 by a liberal margin. The transverse elements 30 may be separate lengths of wire or, as in the present construction, may be integral sections of a single length of wire, the successive sections being interconnected by small longitudinal wire portions 35. It will be noted that the wire portions 35 and the adjacent transverse elements 3u form what may be termed wire loops defining the aforementioned longitudinal opening 32 and that the wire loops are in staggered disposition on the opposite sides of the opening.

The series of transverse elements 30 are loosely interconnected to constitute an articulated skeleton or frame for a passage and the extent to which such skeleton or frame will be closed with wall segments may vary with different uses for the passage. For serving the present function of feeding ammunition to a machine gun, I employ a series of vertical wall segments generally designated 3E on each side of the skeleton to confine and guide the opposite ends of the cartridges 2l, a series of upper horizontal wall segments generally designated 31 on each side of the upper longitudinal opening 32 to overhang the opposite ends of the cartridges, and a series of lower horizontal wall segments generally designated 38 on each side of the longitudinal recess 33 to underlie and support the opposite ends of the cartridges.

As best shown in Fig. 8, each of the upper wall segments 31 may comprise simply a formed pieceof thin sheet metal providing a flat portion 40 that may be termed a wall plate and providing a flat loop 4l to attach the wall plate to the wire skeleton and to act as a link means for adjacent transverse elements. The flap loop 4| provides a narrow aperture long enough to encircle two successive transverse elements 30 at the normal spacing of the transverse elements shown in Fig. '1. In

andere the particular construction shown, each of the upper wall segments 31 is slipped over one of the longitudinal wire portions 35 that interconnects two successive transverse elements 3l] and then the flat loop M of the wall segment is pinched together as indicated at 42 to preventremoval of the wall segment. Preferably, the upper wall segments 31 are so dimensioned that the wall plate d of each segment overlaps the next succeeding wall segment, the direction of overlap being the direction in which' the ammunition is to traverse the feed chute.

The lower wall segments 33 are preferably identical with the upper wall segments 3l, but are, of course, reversed to position the plates Ml inside the wire skeleton. These lower wall segments 38 may likewise be formed by a suitable tool or machine as they are successively applied to the wire skeleton but need not be pinched since the wire elements 33 are bent in such a manner as to hold them in place.

The vertical wall segments 3G of the sides of the chute may be of the same construction as described but smaller in width. Fig. 9 shows one of the vertical segments 36 formed to provide a wall plate 33 and a link means shown as a at loop 35 dimensioned to encircle two successive transverse elements 3B. These vertical segments 36 may be formed as they are applied successively to the wire skeleton. Preferably, each wall plate 43 overlaps the next succeeding vertical wall segment 36 as indicated in the drawings.

In the described construction each series of wall segments interconnects or encircles pairs of the transverse elements 33 and the grouping of the transverse elements into pairs for encirclement by the various series of wall segments is such that the pairs of one grouping overlap the pairs of another grouping, thereby permitting two series of wall segments to cooperate in controlling the over-all spacing of the elements. The pairs of elements overlap in the sense that each pair of one series of successive pairs of the elements 33 includes elements in common with two successive pairs in a second series of pairs of elements. Thus, in Fig. 'l it may be noted that a pair of transverse elements 33 encircled by one of the upper wall segments 3l includes one transverse element that is encircled by one of the vertical wall segments 36 and includes a second transverse element that is encircled by the next succeeding vertical wall segment 36.

lt is apparent that each of the wall segments may be considered as combining two distinct members, one member being a flat loop as indicated by the numeral 3l in Fig. 8 or the numeral t5 in Fig. 9, and the other member being a wall plate as indicated by the numeral le in Fig. 8 or the numeral d3 in Fig. 9. Since the Various :dat loops formed by the wall segments have the function of link means loosely interconnecting the transverse elements 3U, the flat loops may properly be regarded as constituting with the transverse elements an articulated frame or skeleton, the various wall plates constituting articulated walls carried by the articulated frame.

The feed chute 2l] may be fabricated to any desired length and can be expanded in width near each end as indicated in Fig. 2. The ends of the chute may be finished in any suitable manner and may be adapted for anchorage in any suitable manner. Fig. 2 indicates, for example, how the last horizontal segments for the upper and lower walls at the top of the feed chute may comprise simple nat metal loops d6, no extended plate portions being provided. On one side of the chute at the same discharge end a clip 51 of folded sheet metal encircles the last two transverse elements 33 and provides a rearwardly extending wing 48'; while on the other side of the chute a similar clip 50 encircling the last transverse element provides a second wing 5l. When the feed chute is in service, the discharge end may rest on a curved apron 52 (Fig. 1) that is mounted on the side of the machine gun 22, the two wings 43 and 5I at the end of the chute being attached to the machine gun by suitable bolts 53 and nuts 55. The apron may be omitted since the chute tends to take the same curvature.

In a somewhat similar manner the intake end of the feed chute may be finished 0E and adapted for anchorage to an ammunition box. Fig, 2 shows an end horizontal wall segment 56 in the upper wall of the chute that encircles only the first transverse element 30 at the intake end of the feed chute. A similar segment (Fig. 3) is incorporated in the lower Wall of the chute. On one side of the chute at the intake end a metal clip 51 encircles two of the transverse elements 3l) and forms an attachment wing 58 with an aperture GEI to receive a suitable anchoring bolt (not shown). The metal clip 51 is provided with a piece of sheet metal 6l that serves as an inner Wall plate to overlap the next succeeding vertical wall segment. On the opposite side of the chute at the intake end a similar metal clip 62 forming an attachment wing 63 encircles only one of the transverse elements 3U and is provided with a similar piece of sheet metal 64 to overlap the next succeeding wall segment.

The manner in which such a feed chute serves its purpose will be readily understood from the foregoing description. Since the longitudinal opening 32 on the upper side of the chute extends throughout the length of the chute, it is a simple matter to conduct the leading end of a loaded ammunition belt from the ammunition box through the chute to the feed side of the machine gun. As indicated in Fig. 6 the loaded belt is supported by contact between smooth peripheral surfaces of the cartridges 2l and the overlapping plates of the lower wall segments 38. In service these overlapping wall plates become highly polished with consequent reduction in frictional resistance to movement of cartridges through the chute. Because of the longitudinal recess 33 in the bottom of the chute, the articulated belt 2B makes no contact whatsoever with the chute. Heretofore the articulated ammunition belts have been a major cause of wearing out feed chutes for machine guns.

The manner in which the feed chute may be flexed up and down or in planes parallel to the sides of the chute may be understood by referring to Fig. 1. To make such ilexure possible the upper wall segments 3l take positions of maximum extension, the lower wall segments 38 telescope together in contracted relation and the side segments 36 take approximately radial positions with reference to the centers of curvature to which the chute is flexed. Each pair of transverse elements 3d encircled by the side segments 3B converges toward the center of curvature.

It is apparent that the maximum degree of lexure of the chute in Vertical planes is determined by the freedom for relative movement of the encircled transverse elements within the confines of the wall segments 36, 3l, or 38. A feature of the present chute is that the wall segments are designed to limit the exure of the chute in vertical planes to a radius of curvature longer than the minimum permissible radius of curvature for the loaded ammunition belt 26. In other words, the chute is so designed that a bend of the character shown in Fig. 1 cannot be sharp enough to cause the loaded ammunition belt lnside the chute to bind or jam.

Fig. indicates how the component parts of the feed chute adjust themselves to lateral flexure of the chute in planes of the upper and lower wall segments 31 and 38. It will be noted that on the side away from the center of curvature, i. e., on the outside of the bend, the side wall segments 36 are in positions of maximum extension relative to each other, the flat loops 45 acting as a stop means for maximizing the elongation, while on the inner side the wall segments 36 are crowded together to act as a stop means maximizing the contraction. It will also be noted that the various horizontal wall segments 31 and 38 are in approximately radial positions relative to the center or centers of curvature. The transverse elements 30take radial positions by pairs with the result that two transverse elements 30 crowd together in each of the side wall segments 36 on the inner side of the bend. Here again, the minimum radius of curvature is determined by the dimensioning of wall segments. The horizontal wall segments 31 and 38 are designed for a minimum radius of lateral curvature on the part of the chute that is greater than the minimum radius of lateral curvature permissible on the part of the loaded ammunition belt 26.

As a. result of designing the chute for inherent limitatorrwith reference to both vertical and lateral flexure, the chute has an inherent limitation on torsional or twisting deformation that is Well within the degree to which the loaded ammunition belt 26 may be twisted without binding. It is apparent that such an ammunition chute may be twisted and bent with adequate freedom to follow all movements of a machine gun, even a. machine gun universally mounted on an aircraft for firing over a considerable range of positions in all directions. The feed chute accommodates itself automatically to the instant positions of the machine gun relative to the fixed ammunition box and tends to assume a conguration of uniform bending and uniform twisting from end to end,

'I'he purpose of Fig. 12 is to exemplify the fact that a feed chute such as described above may be fabricated by using separate lengths of wire to form the transverse elements that provide the chute skeleton. Thus, in Fig. 12 each transverse element 10 is of the same general configuration as the previously described transverse elements 30, but in this alternative construction separate wires are employed for the transverse elements and each of the separate wires terminates in a small hook or olf-set 1I. Each two adjacent transverse elements can be considered here, as in the embodiment previously described, as a transverse structure, the wire portions acting as reinforcing means, the various transverse structures being interlinked for limited motion toward and away from each other and being bridged by the wall plates forming articulated lining walls for the passage. In Fig. 12 the two series of side wall segments 36, the two series of upper wall segments 31, and the two series of lower wall segments 38 are mounted on the transverse elements 10 in the same manner as heretofore described, the small hooks 1I serving to retain the upper wall segments. The feed chute shown in Fig. 12

yflexes in various directions in much the same manner as heretofore described. One advantage of this second form of the feed chute resides in the absence of any fixed longitudinal connection between the various transverse elements 10. Since longitudinal wire portions 35 mentioned in the first form of the invention are absent in this second form, there is greater freedom for relative movement between the various transverse elements, and flexing of the feed chute does not involve any torsional or bending stress in the wire skeleton,

Fig. 13 shows the construction of a rectangular chute that is completely enclosed. The skeleton for this particular chute consists of a series of spaced transverse elements 16 in the form of wire rectangles. Upper wall segments 11, lower wall segments 18, and side wall segments encircle the transverse elements 16 in overlapping pairs in the manner heretofore described, thereby producing a completely enclosed but exceptionally flexible articulated passage means.

Fig. 14 illustrates the construction of another rectangular chute. In this construction, a single length of wire is bent to form a series of rectangular transverse elements 83 interconnected by longitudinal wire portions 85. Two series of upper wall segments 86, two series of side wall segments 81, and one series of relatively wide lower wall segments 88 are mounted on the transverse elements 83 in the manner heretofore described. It will be noted that the longitudinal wire portions that affect the spacing of the transverse elements 83 are centrally located to be near the neutral axis of the chute when the chute is flexed laterally.

While in the various forms of the invention I prefer to group the transverse elements in pairs in-the manner described, it will be apparent that more than two elements may be included in each plurality without sacrificing control of the overall spacing of the transverse elements. In fact, if more than two elements are included in each plurality, each element may be individually subject to positive spatial control if the transverse elements are encircled by a series of wall segments in a sufficient number of different overlapping pluralities. By way of example, Fig. 15 shows in side elevation a chute in which the transverse elements 90 are grouped by threes. Upper wall segments 9i of the construction heretofore described encircle one series of groups of three of the transverse elements; side wall segments 92, except for a terminal segment 93, encircle a second series of groups of three of the transverse elements; and bottom wall segments 95, except an initial segment 96, encircle a third series of groups of three of the transverse elements. It is apparent that the three series of wall segments overlap with respect to grouping of the-transverse elements and thereby provide the interlocking required to unify the structure.

The specific examples of my invention illustrated herein and described in detail for the purpose of disclcsure will suggest various substitutions and changes under my concept, and I reserve the right to all such departures from my specific disclosure that properly fall within the scope of my appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A passage means of the character described for conveying a strip having a given degree of iiexibility, said passage means comprising: a plurality of spaced transverse elements movable toward and away from each other and cooperating 9 in outlining a passage; and a plurality of separate wall segments spaced from each other around the periphery of said passage and providing links movably interconnecting said transverse elements and providing wall plates overlapping each other to provide passage walls lining said passage, the connections between said segments and said elements being loose to permit relative movement between the segments for articulation of the passage walls but being sumeiently restricted to permit less than said degree oi flexibility on the part of the passage means. ing said passage, the connections 4between said 2.1i flexible passage means of the character described for following devious paths, to be used,

ior example, for conveying ammunition to a machine gun, said passage means comprising: a plurality of series of separate overlapping plates, said series being separated from each other around the periphery of said passage means and forming articulated walls for lining different sides of the passage means; and an extensile articulated frame carrying said plates.

3. A flexible passage means of the character described for following devious paths, to be used, for example, for conveying ammunition to a machine gun, said passage means comprising: a plurality of series ofseparate overlapping plates forming articulated walls for lining different sides oi the passage means; and `an extensile articulated frame carrying said plates, said frame comprising a plurality of transverse elements of angular configuration outlining a passage and a plurality of link means disposed respectively adjacent said plates to loosely interconnect said transverse elements for limited movement toward and away from each other.

i. A iiexible passage means of the character described for following devious paths, to be used, for example, for conveying ammunition to a machine gun, said passage means comprising: a series of non-collapsible transverse elements defining a passage, means for loosely interconnecting said elements for variation in the spacing and relative angles of the elements to permit changes in direction of the defined passage and changes in the length thereof; and slidingly overlapping wall plates supported by said transverse elements to line the deiined passage.

5. A iiexible passage means of the character described for following devious paths, to be used, for example, for conveying ammunition to a machine gun, said passage means comprising: a frame including a series of normally spaced transverse elements of angular configuration dening the coniiguration of a passage, said transverse elements being movable relative to each other to permit the spacing between successive elementsto be varied and to permit the angles of the elements relative to each other to be varied, whereby the frame may be contracted and extended for varying the length of the passage and may be exed for changes in direction of the passage; means to limit the maximum spacing between the successive transverse elements; and a series of metal wall plates supported by said frame, said wall plates slidingly overlapping each other to form an articulated lining for said passage.

6. A exible passage means of the character described for following devious paths, to be used, for example, for conveying ammunition to a machine gun, said passage means comprising: a series of non-collapsible transverse elements dening a passage; series of link means on opposite sides of the axis of said passage loosely interconnecting said transverse elements to permit rela.- tive movement between successive transverse elements for changes in direction and overall length of the passage; and series of slidably-contacting wall members supported by said transverse elements, said wall members forming articulated lining surfaces for said passage and being movable relative to each otherto maintain said lining surfaces substantially smooth upon change in direction and overall length of said passage.

7. A passage means of the character described for conveying along a devious path a strip having a given degree of flexibility, for example an ammunition belt, said passage means comprising: a plurality of series of separate overlapping wall plates forming articulated walls for dierent sides of the passage means; and an extensile articulated frame carrying said plates, said frame being articulated to less than said degree of iiexibility to avoid flexure of said strip sumcient to cause binding of the strip within the passage means.

8. A exible passage means for conveying ammunition to a machine gun along a variable devious path, said passage means comprising: a plurality of spaced transverse elements of angular configuration shaped to define a cross-sectional configuration of a passage; and a plurality of separate wall segments each looped around adjacent transverse elements and of relatively small dimension along the length of said passage, said segments loosely interconnecting said elements to permit substantial relative movement between the wall segments and elements as Well as relative movement between adjacent wall segments, thereby to permit extension, retraction, and iiexure of the passage means.

9. A exible passage means of the character described for following a devious path, comprising: a plurality of spaced non-collapsible transverse elements shaped to define a cross-sectional configuration of a passage; at least two series of link means loosely engaging pluralities oi said elements, each plurality loosely engaged by a link means in one of said series of link means including elements engaged by two successive link means in the other series, said transverse elements and link means constituting an articulated frame; and a plurality of overlapping plates mounted on said frame to form articulated walls conforming to said configuration.

10. A passage means of the character described for conveying along a devious path a strip having a given degree of ilexibility, for example, an ammunition belt, said passage means comprising: a plurality of spaced non-collapsible transverse elements of angular configuration shaped to dene a cross-sectional configuration of a passage; at least two series of link means loosely engaging pluralities of said elements, each plurality loosely engaged by a link means in one of said series of link means including elements engaged by two successive link means in the other series, said transverse elements and link means constituting an articulated frame; and a plurality of overlapping plates mounted on said frame to form articulated walls conforming to said conguration, the relative movement among said elements permitted by said link means restricting the flexibility of the passage means to less than said given degree of flexibility to avoid exure of said strip sufficient to cause binding of the strip within the passage means.

11. A flexible passage means of the character described for following a devious path, comprising: a plurality of spaced non-collapsible transverse angular elements defining a passage configuration; at least one series of link means loosely engaging pluralities of said spaced elements in a rst grouping of the spaced elements; at least one series of link means loosely engaging pluralities of said spaced elements in a second grouping of the spaced elements in such way that each transverse element is common to said ilrst and second groupings of the elements whereby the two series of link means cooperate to limit the over-all spacing of said elements, each of said link means permitting freedom of movement of the corresponding plurality of elements, thereby permitting iiexure of the passage means, said plurality of spaced transverse elements and said series of link means constituting an articulated passage frame; and wall plates forming an articulated wall carried by said articulated frame.

12. A passage means as set forth in claim 11 in which said wall plates slidingly overlap.

13. A flexible passage means of the character described for following a devious path, comprising: an elongated member bent to form spaced transverse sections defining a passage; a rst series of link members loosely interconnecting pairs of said transverse sections in one grouping of the transverse sections; a second series of link members loosely interconnecting pairs of said transverse sections in a second grouping of the transverse sections, the pairs of one of said groupings overlapping the pairs of the other grouping in that a pair of one grouping includes transverse sections of successive pairs in the other grouping whereby said two series of link means cooperate to limit the spacing of the transverse sections, said elongated member and said series of link members constituting an articulated frame; and a plurality of wall plates forming articulated wall means carried by said articulated frame.

14. A passage means of the character described, including in combination: a plurality of transverse elements disposed side by side to outline a passage; and means for expansibly connecting said transverse elements, said means'including a plurality of tongue-like wall plates formed of thin sheet material spaced from each other around the periphery of said passage and extending from v each transverse element in a direction longitudinally of said passage a distance sufficient to bridge the space to an adjacent transverse element and to slidably engage and overlap an adjacent wall plate thereby forming a plurality of peripherally-spaced articulated linings for said passage.

15. In a flexible feed chute, the combination of: a plurality of transverse elements disposed side by side to outline a member-guiding passage; link means for interlinking said transverse elements for limited movement in a direction toward and away from each other, said transverse elements and said link means cooperating in forming an articulated frame; and a plurality'of overlapping Wall plates supported within said passage by said articulated frame and forming an articulated lining for said passage.

16. In a flexible feed chute, the combination of: a plurality of transverse elements disposed side by side to outline a member-guiding passage, said transverse elements including adjacent bottom portions determining the bottom of said passage, and adjacent side portions determining the sides of said passage; link means for linking said bottom portions of adjacent transverse elements for limited movement of such bottom portions toward and away from each other: link means for linking said side portions of adjacent transverse elements for limited movement of such side portions toward and away from each other, said transverse elements and said link means cooperating in forming an articulated frame; and a plurality of overlapping wall plates supported within said passage by said articulated frame and respectively adjacent said link means for forming a plurality of articulated lining walls for the bottom and sides of said member-guiding passage.

17. In a exible feed chute, the combination of: a plurality of transverse elements disposed side by side to outline a member-guiding passage, said transverse elements including adjacent bottom portions for determining the bottom of said passage, adjacent top portions spaced from said bottom portions for determining the top of said passage, and adjacent side portions interconnecting the spaced bottom and top portions to determine the sides of said passage and maintain the spaced relationship of said top and bottom portions; link means for linking said bottom portions of adjacent transverse elements for limited movement of such bottom portions toward and away from each other; link means for linking said side portions of adjacent transverse elements for limited movement of such side portions toward and away from each other; link means for linking said top portions of adjacent transverse elements for limited movement of such top portions toward and away from each other, said transverse elements and said link means cooperating in forming an articulated frame; and a plurality of overlapping wall plates supported within said passage by said articulated frame and respectively adjacent said link means for forming a plurality of articulated lining walls for the bottom, sides, and top of said member-guiding passage.

18. A 'combination as defined in claim 17, in which each transverse element includes two top portions of a combined length less than said bottom portion of this transverse element to provide a longitudinal opening extending along the top of said chute.

19. A combination as dened in claim 15, in which each of said transverse elements provides a bottom portion oiset between its ends to increase the thickness of said member-guiding passage near the center thereof, and in which a series of said overlapping wall plates is disposed non each side of said offset to provide articulated track-like linings for the bottom of said passage.

20. A combination as defined in claim 15, in which said transverse elements comprise wirelike members bent to outline said member-guiding passage.

21. In a iiexible feed chute, the combination of a plurality of transverse structures disposed side by side to outline a member-guiding passage, each transverse structure providing a pair of reinforcing means spaced longitudinally along said passage, each reinforcing means including a pair of side portions and top and bottom portions spaced by said side portions, each transverse structure providing means extending between the pair of reinforcing means of each transverse structure for interconnecting these reinforcing means; means for interconnecting said transverse structures for limited movement 13 structure longitudinally of said passage and spaced peripherally around said passage, the Wall plates of adjacent transverse structures overlapping to form a plurality of articulated lining Walls for said passage disposed therein and spaced peripherally therearound.

22. In a flexible feed chute, the combination of: a plurality of transverse elements disposed side by side to outline a chute passage; and a plurality of loops associated with each transverse element and spaced from each other around the boundary of said passage, each loop extending to an adjacent transverse element to link with a portion thereof in a manner to permit limited motion of any peripheral portion of a transverse element i relative to a corresponding peripheral portion f an adjacent transverse element in a direction toward and away from each other independent of equal motion between other peripheral portions of said adjacent transverse elements disposed on the opposite side of the axis of said passage from said first-named peripheral portions, said flexible feed chute being characterized by the absence of any pivot means pivotally connecting the transverse elements to pivot relative to each other about fixed axes.

23. In a exible feed chute, the combination of: a plurality of transverse elements disposed side by side to outline a chute passage; and a plurality of loops associated with each transverse element and extending substantially longitudinally of said chute passage to slidably engage an adjacent transverse element, the loops associated with each transverse element being spaced from each other at positions along the periphery of said transverse element, each loop providing an end wall at its extremity, each transverse element providing stop portions respectively engaged by the end walls of the loops associated with an adjacent transverse element whereby engagement of any of said end walls with its corresponding stopportion oi an adjacent transverse element limits the maximum separation of such adjacent transverse elements at the corresponding peripheral position, saidloops and their respectively corresponding stop portions being disposed to permit limited motion of any peripheral portion of a transverse element relative to a corresponding peripheral portion of an adjacent transverse element independent of equal motion between other peripheral portions of said adjacent transverse elements disposed on the opposite side oi. the axis oi' said passage from said first-named peripheral portions.

24. In an ammunition chute the combination 55 of: a series of transverse members loosely associated with each other, each of said members comprising an elongated member having its ends bent to form two oppositely disposed U-shaped guides connected by a bridge member: cooperating means on the guide portions of said transverse members connecting the transverse members with a limited extensible relative movement therebetween. said means and said transverse members cooperating in dening an articulated frame: and c overlapping leaves carried by said articulated frame and disposed in slidable engagement with each other to form friction surfaces for engagement by the ammunition.

25. In a flexible feed chute, the combination of a plurality of transverse elements disposed sideby-side to outline a member-guiding passage, means for interconnecting said transverse elements for limited movement in a direction toward and away from each other, and a plurality of overlapping wall plates supported Within said passage by said transverse elements and forming an articulated lining therefor.

26. A flexible passage means comprising: a plurality of transverse elements disposed side by side to outline a passage; and link means for expansibly and contractively linking said transverse elements together, said link means including a plurality of Wall segments each looped around a, pair of transverse elements, each wall segment carrying a wall plate extending in lapping relationship with the Wall plate of an adjacent wall segment to form an articulated lining for said passage.

27. A ilexible passage means comprising: a plurality of transverse structures disposed side by side to outline a, member-guiding passage, each transverse structure providing a pair of wires spaced longitudinally along said passage and bent to outline said passage, each transverse structure providing means looped around the pair of wires and carrying a wall plate extending in lapping relationship with the wall plate of an adjacent transverse structure to provide an articulated lining for said passage; and means for loosely interconnecting said transverse structures for limited movement toward and away from each other.

28. A combination as defined in claim 22, in which each transverse element is of angular Abut peripherally incomplete conguration to provide an open portion, the open portions of the sideby-side transverse elements forming a longitudinal opening along said passage for access thereto.

HARRY E. ELLIOTT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,088,470 Snyder Feb. 24, 1914 1,394,300 Gammeter Oct. 18, 1921 1,487,634 Waters Mar. 18, 1924 2,091,265 Brown Aug. 3l, 1937 2,284,488 Johnson May 26, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS 00 Number Country Date 509,772 British July 20, 1939 '779,026 French Jan. 5, 1935 644,053 German Apr. 23, 1937 

